Review: 'Fukrey 3' touches new heights of fukrapanti owing to some jaw-aching hilariousness

Fukrey 3

Making ridiculousness absolute fun for a decade now, the makers of Fukrey cracked the code with a gamble that paid off in 2013, where a boy gets these visions that are futuristic, and this wins them lotteries. It continued with more madness and politics in Fukrey Returns and now arrives the third instalment, Fukrey 3. With a few changes in the cast but retaining the essence, going bananas and even more absurd with new 'dejachus', the team is here once again to serve a plate for us to devour. Having had the opportunity to see the film beforehand, here is what I thought about it-

The Real Winner - Dialogues & Punchlines

Vipul Vig deserves a bow from one and all for being able to infuse one hilarious punchline after another to the extent that almost makes you marvel at just how original, quirky and knee-tappingly hysterical they are. The USP of the Fukrey franchise has been the innocence and authenticity that the likes of Chucha, Hunny, Lali, Pandit Ji and Bholi bring to the storyline. And that continues here as well, which is captured fantastically in the dialogues of the film. Words and lines like Prince of Chuchaland, fukro ki chuchiyape bhari duniya, free fund ka Sonu Sood ban Gaya hai, and a potload of others are incredibly funny.

The Nostalgia, Love & Attachment

With two films and now a third one, we are now connected to these adorable misfits of society. How else would we have bought the idea of an insolent yet innocent pup having deja chus in the first place? Now, as the third film watches them struggle with newer challenges, there is a sense of nostalgia and attachment that comes with us - the viewer. And to the credit of the makers- they are aware of it and justify it with conviction. As it is the third instalment, the makers throw in little nuggets of references and callbacks to popular moments from the past two films but never overdo it. The balance of nostalgia and attachment that comes in Fukrey 3 is surprisingly deep and spot-on for them to enjoy their new adventure.

The Actors & The Conviction

As I mentioned before, ideas like Fukrey and the entire franchise might sound utterly preposterous and mind-numbingly stupid on paper when pitched to studios or even talked about in general. Hence, for Excel to be taking a gamble with the first film and now creating a third film that possibly goes even more ridiculous with a 'new deja chu', it takes a visionary to greenlight it. Director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba having absolute conviction in the sincere foolishness that makes you suspend your disbelief is also a factor that works immensely for the film.

And then, of course, the ensemble cast doing their best. Ten years later, not one actor has lost their beat, and everyone seems born to play the characters they play, but of course, Varun Sharma as Chucha will go down as one of the most hilarious characters in Hindi cinema. Also, makers who are trying to obtain comedic timing from Pankaj Tripathi - take note of Fukrey 3 and how it should be done. The man is undoubtedly the other reason for you to be laughing constantly!

The Runtime & an Umipactful Villain

I would be remiss not to address the runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, and if it bothers or not - yes, it does! After a fabulous first half, the second half loses instances of hilarity and thus becomes a bit of a drag as the story moves on. The film is known to be and shines when it's not taking itself too seriously, but the instances of social messaging towards the end feel forced. Also, the villain this time, Dhingra, is stereotypical, formulaic and hence rather, unimpactful.

The Verdict

To address the elephant in the room, is the absence of Ali Fazal explained? The answer is Yes and No. Go figure. In the end, Fukrey 3 takes the franchise to new levels of fukrapanti with jaw-aching hilarity and some of the funniest scenes you will ever witness. If you're attached to the franchise, you will not be disappointed, and if you're not, you still won't be disappointed.

Rating - **** (4/5)